Namibia to Host Regional Health Meeting as Southern Africa Pushes for Greater Health Security
Namibia is set to host the 5th Southern Africa Regional Ministerial Steering Committee (ReSCO) Meeting in Windhoek from 20 to 21 August 2026, bringing together health leaders and partners to advance regional cooperation on health security and build more resilient and self-reliant health systems.
The high-level meeting will be held under the stewardship of Namibia’s Minister of Health and Social Services, Dr. Esperance Luvindao, who serves as Vice Chairperson of ReSCO.
The meeting is being convened in partnership with the Africa Centres for Disease Control and Prevention (Africa CDC) and the African Union (AU).
The discussions are expected to focus on key regional priorities, including health security, domestic health financing, national health insurance and local manufacturing of health products and commodities.
The meeting comes as countries across Africa continue efforts to strengthen their health systems and reduce vulnerabilities associated with dependence on external financing and imported medical supplies.
Local manufacturing has increasingly been identified as an important component of health security, particularly in times of public health emergencies.
Regional health stakeholders have stressed that strengthening local production can improve supply resilience, shorten procurement lead times and support sustained access to essential medicines and other health commodities.
The Windhoek meeting will therefore provide an opportunity for Southern African countries to exchange experiences, identify common challenges and develop practical approaches towards strengthening health systems across the region.
A key issue on the agenda will be domestic health financing, as countries seek sustainable mechanisms to fund healthcare programmes and reduce over-reliance on external resources.
The expansion of national health insurance and universal health coverage is also expected to feature prominently, with regional cooperation viewed as essential to ensuring that people can access quality healthcare without facing financial hardship.
For Namibia, hosting the meeting places the country at the centre of regional discussions on the future of healthcare and public health preparedness.
The Ministry of Health and Social Services has said the gathering reflects Namibia’s commitment to advancing regional health priorities and strengthening systems capable of delivering quality and affordable healthcare to citizens and communities across Southern Africa.
The meeting is also expected to reinforce the importance of collaboration between governments, regional institutions, technical experts and development partners in preparing for future health emergencies.
Africa CDC has increasingly placed health security and sovereignty at the centre of its regional agenda, including efforts to strengthen domestic financing, local manufacturing, supply chains and national health systems.
The Southern African meeting will consequently serve as a platform for translating regional commitments into practical actions that can strengthen preparedness, improve access to essential health services and build greater resilience within national health systems.
As Namibia prepares to welcome regional health leaders to Windhoek, the meeting is expected to underscore a shared objective: building stronger, more sustainable and self-reliant health systems capable of protecting populations across Southern Africa.
